Monica Z (2013)

The world famous Swedish jazz singer, actress and icon Monica Zetterlund's life through stardom and hardship.

Director:

Per Fly

Writers:

Monica Zetterlund (inspired by the life of), Peter Birro (scenario)

Stars:

Edda Magnason, Sverrir Gudnason, Kjell Bergqvist

5 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Edda Magnason	...	Monica
Sverrir Gudnason	...	Sture
Kjell Bergqvist	...	Bengt
Vera Vitali	...	Marika
Oskar Thunberg	...	Vilgot
Johannes Wanselow	...	Beppe
Nadja Christiansson	...	Eva-Lena
David Hellenius	...	Skivbolagsdirektören
Cecilia Ljung	...	Greta
Fredrik Lindborg	...	Dompan
Jörgen Thorsson	...	Tage
Hanna Ullerstam	...	Kerstin
Hedda Stiernstedt	...	Lina
Henrik Ståhl	...	Povel Ramel
Anna Harling	...	Journalisten

Storyline

Set in the glamour and free spirit of the early sixties. Monica, a young Swedish small town girl is dreaming of the vibrant city jazz clubs of Stockholm. She embarks on an intense journey in the limelight as a celebrated singer and actress in the golden era of jazz. Among artists and hipsters her phenomenal success leaves a trail of broken love affairs and promises.

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Plot Keywords:

jazz singer | female singer | jazz | cigarette smoking | drinking | 

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Taglines:

A lingonberry branch in a cocktail glass.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The variety show that Monica plays in the movie is a mixture of different varieties she did with Hasse Alfredsson and Tage Danielsson. The venue, China Teatern (The China Theatre) and the actor with the turban is a reference to Gula Hund (Yellow Dog) from 1964. The musicians with the red sport coats are from the 1976 variety Svea Hund and lastly the number Monica performs ("Vad en liten gumma kan gno", roughly translated "What a little [old] lady can work") is from "Glaset i Örat" (The Glass in the Ear) from 1973.

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Goofs

Set in the late 1950s or early 1960s at the beginning of the movie, Monica rides in a bus advertising Luxor color TV sets which were first sold in 1969.

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Connections

References I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)

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Soundtracks

It Could Happen To You
Music by Jimmy Van Heusen (as Van Heusen)
Lyrics by Johnny Burke (as Burke)
Sony/ATV EMI Music Publishing AB
Performed by Edda Magnason (as Edda Magnasson)

User Reviews

Too liberal with artistic freedom

Well, this film does abuse the character of Monicas father as well as others.

If one have to make evil portraits, do not use real persons names.

And, there was no bus-service from Hagfors to Stockholm, she would take the train to Karlstad, and the express-train from there to Stockholm.

I also doubt the New York episode about Negroes and blondes.

Anachronistic and filled with errors. Also have a hard believing that Hagfors did not have an automatic telephone exchange in 1960.

But the film is well played, lovely songs, nice portraits of some other personalities, it also contains full frontal nudity and nice Stockholm scenes. Why it is I gave it a 6.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish English

Release Date:

13 September 2013 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Waltz for Monica

Filming Locations:

Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,004,094

Company Credits

Production Co:

StellaNova Film, Film i Väst, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1